18 End of Year One

The next day, Cotton woke up on the floor of Hollow Cottage. Though he felt tainted after consuming the fragment of Blackbeard's soul, he still maintained his clarity and control over himself. He was free of Blue Crest's influence and the sword itself was no more.

The upside was he had a wealth of knowledge now floating around his mind. Years of magic learned in an instant. He spent the days that followed sorting and digesting the knowledge as his parents and Quinn worked on the tasks that he ordered when he was passed by Blue Crest. He could have stopped them but the plan was in motion and he couldn't escape the magical contract with Voldemort unless he followed the plot that Blackbeard laid out. Meaning that he had to help Voldemort escape this year, claim his houses, and Bellatrix Lestrange. After that, his side of the deal was upheld and Voldemort would surely be at death's door.

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It was June 4th when Dumbledore was called away. Cotton didn't want to risk being caught, so he put a Gryffindor girl named Parvati Patil under the imperious curse. She 'happened' upon a conversation between Harry and Ron. She hears a word that triggers Cotton's commands and begins to spout facts about the philosopher's stone.

She then says, "I heard Dumbledore had a book of Alchemy I couldn't find in the library. I went to the office to request it but he was gone."

"Gone?" the boys asked.

"Yes, gone. McGonagall says that he's away on Ministry business." Parvati elaborated.

"Then we have to go after the stone, tonight," said Harry.

"Wait, the stone is here?" Parvati asked, "Can I come, I promise I won't be dead weight."

The boys looked at each other and just shrugged. "Sure," said Harry.

Later that night, Cotton waited and followed the trio through the trap door guarded by the three-headed dog. When Cotton enter the room, he petrified the dog and decided not to kill the rare beast. He simply recalled a piece of dark magic he remembered from Blackbeard's memories.

He twisted his wand and recited a song-like incantation that sounded like a sea shanty as his wand shined purple. He then felt a familiar bond form between him and the Cerberus. Before he followed the Trio, he called Irhi to take the Cerberus to his home in Godric's Hallow.

Jumping through the trap door, he fell into a room of devil Snare. He blasted it with an overpowering light charm and fell into another room below it. Walking up a set of stairs, he entered a room of winged keys. With his twin-core wand, he cast, "Impedimenta!"

The winged keys froze and floated around as if they were in zero gravity. Cotton then walked to the next door and cast a bombardment curse, blowing the door to pieces.

Finally, he caught up with the trio in time to see Harry checkmate the king in a life-size game of Wizard's Chess. Ron was badly injured and Parvati stayed with him as Harry went on. Walking past Ron and Lavender, he cast a memory charm and wiped their memories of the entire day.

He then followed Harry through a potions test where he solved the riddle and walked through fire. Cotton took a moment and decided to use the first-year freezing spell. By the time he arrived, he saw one of Quirrell's hands get turned to ash and collapse to nothing.

Harry was looking at his hands in amazement. Voldemort shouted to Quirrell to get the stone as Harry ran at Quirrrel with his hand outstretched. Cotton sighed and cast a knockback jinx at Harry.

He then walked over to Harry and obliviated him.

"You two are fucking idiots. If his hands turn you to ash, don't let him touch you. And why the fuck didn't you use your wand? Put him out and then take the stone. You guys are hopeless. Grab the stone."

Quirrell picked the stone up and a blast of light appeared in the middle of the room revealing Cotton's thunderbird Leo.

"Go on, he'll take you out of here," said Cotton.

"Thank you, little lord." Voldemort hissed.

Leo landed on Quirrell's shoulder and disappeared in a bolt of lightning. Cotton then stepped over Harry and left the room. Not wanting to get caught, Cotton cast a charm to wipe the room everyone's magic, including his. He then went to Ravenclaw tower and called Winky. Together they went to the kitchen to drink the night away.

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-Next morning, Ravenclaw Tower-

"Cotton Hakopa Hollow! Wake Up!" Hermione shouted.

Cotton snapped up.

"Did you drink all night with Winky?! The Ravenclaw Gryffindor Match starts in five minutes! The winner participates in the Quidditch Cup. If we lose this, we can kiss the Quidditch cup goodbye!" Hermione scolded him as he jet from bed and waved his wand to conjure his Quidditch uniform.

"Wait, what do you mean we?" Cotton asked.

"I may be in Gryffindor but I'm on your side. Now go and give them hell," she replied.

He then grabbed his broom and Hermione, a moment later he jumps out his window and Hermione screamed as they were in a free fall. Halfway down Leo appeared to catch them. An instant later, they appeared on the Quidditch pitch in a bolt of lightning and the grass beneath them was still fresh and green.

Ravenclaw cheered as Cotton arrived. He sent Hermione to the stands and mounted his broom.

"All night with Winky again?" Cho asked.

Cotton just gushed. The teachers in the stands shook their heads as they all knew about Cotton's nights with Winky. Though they never said anything as Cotton wasn't the first student to make a drinking buddy out of Winky. Not to mention he still maintained his status as first among the first years. He also had a hall pass that he liked to wave around after curfew.

The players of both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor took their positions in the air, forming a circle. Cotton and the Gryffindor substitute Seeker flys in, highest amongst them all,

"Where's Potter? I was looking forward to crushing him!" Cotton shouted with a natural competitive fervor.

"Potter's in the infirmary." the backup Seeker shouted.

"Maybe next year then." Said Cotton.

He wanted to make a show of ignorance just in case someone expected him to be Potter's assailant.

"Gentlemen, Please!" The announce spoke, causing Cotton and the backup seeker to quiet down.

"The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game." The Announcer, Lee spoke.

"Now, I want a nice clean game...from all of you," said Madam Hooch as she kicks the trunk, and the bludgers zoom out.

" The bludgers are up...followed by the Golden Snitch. Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game." said Lee.

The snitch zooms around each Seeker's head then disappears. Hooch grabs the Quaffle. And throws it into the air.

"The Quaffle is released...and the game begins!" Leee shouted.

Gryffindor takes possession of the ball and a chaser, Angelia Johnson, zooms past Ravenclaw towards their goal, throws the ball, and scores!

"Angelina Johnson scores! 10 points for Gryffindor! " said Lee, he presses a button and a 10 shows up beside a plaque with Gryffindor's name.

Cho rallies and her beaters escort her to the Gyfindors goals. She throws and she scores as Ravenclaw goes wild. Cotton could feel Cho brought her A-game. So he zipped off and found the golden snitch. But he surprised everyone when he didn't end the game, he merely chased the snitch and fought his opponent to keep him from catching it.

Ravenclaw erupted with cheer as they figure Cotton was doing this so his teammates could play a full game of plucking the chickens.

For an hour, Ravenclaw beat on Gryffindor, and Cho's skills as the chaser leveled up visibly. When Cotton saw the score of 250 to 130, he pushed harder and caught the Golden Snitch.

Ravenclaws board shifted to 400 points and Lee shouted, "Ravenclaw Wins!"

After a night of celebration. Final exams started and Cotton kept his status as number one first year by acing all of his exams. Cho also became number one of her year. While Hermione was just below Cotton.

Another week passed and the end of the term feast came. Ravenclaw swept the school, winning the Inter-house Quidditch Cup and the House Cup, ending Slytherin's six-year win streak, and with Cotton, Ravenclaw saw more house cups in their future.

That night, Cotton did some cleaning up in the Hollow Cottage. He retrieved the Map from Rowena's statue in the Ravenclaw tower. He snuck into the Seventh-year boy's dorm and placed a boy named Robert Ozborne under the imperious curse. He then places Rowena's Diadem in his luggage.

Finally, he entered the Slytherin Dormortories, with the password received from Snape, and placed Malfoy under the imperious curse with detailed instructions to find his mother's marriage contract and bring it to him, next school term.

When morning came, Cotton had breakfast with his friends and enjoyed his last day on campus. The best part was that Dumbledore and Snape were nowhere to be seen. Probably chasing the Philosopher's stone and trying to contain the potential fallout.

When breakfast was over, Cotton walked out of Hogwarts front gate and Leo apparated them back home.